Fatal Rivalry: Part Three of The Last Great Saxon Earls by Mercedes Rochelle

4/17/2021

Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Mercedes Rochelle introduces us to the award-winning, third and final volume of “The Last Great Saxon Earls”, “Fatal Rivalry”:
In 1066, the rivalry between two brothers brought England to its knees. When Duke William of Normandy landed at Pevensey on September 28, 1066, no one was there to resist him. King Harold Godwineson was in the north, fighting his brother Tostig and Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge. How could this have happened? Why would Tostig turn traitor to wreak revenge on his brother?

Harold and Tostig were not always enemies; it took a massive Northumbrian uprising to tear them apart, making one an exile and the other his sworn enemy. After Edward the Confessor died and Harold took the crown, Tostig was intent on reclaiming his earldom. But he was on his own; his brother was not sympathetic. In fact, Harold allied with Tostig's enemies. What else could he do?

This is a stupendous climax to the series. I absolutely love how this historical-fiction novel is structured using first-person POV.
The dialogues and inner thoughts of each main character in turn carries the story forward so well. It really makes the history come alive. The scene-setting is quite well done also, especially the scenes of battles. Just like life in the Middle Ages, the action is very intense and brutal at times, but only to fit the needs of the historical events.
The entire series is binge worthy! I want to read it all again.
I award 4.9 stars to “Fatal Rivalry”.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Rivalry-Three-Great-Saxon-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-fatal-rivalry
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fatal-Rivalry-Three-Great-Saxon
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fatal-rivalry
https://books2read.com/u/3LRVkM

You can follow the author:
http://www.twitter.com/AuthorRochelle
http://www.mercedesrochelle.com
http://www.mercedesrochelle.net

I have reviewed other books by this author:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/a-king-under-siege-book-one-of-the-plantagenet-legacy-by-mercedes-rochelle

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-kings-retribution

The Usurper King (The Plantagenet Legacy Book 3) By Mercedes Rochelle

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/heir-to-a-prophecy-by-mercedes-rochelle-narrated-by-kevin-e-green

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/godwine-kingmaker-part-one-of-the-last-great-saxon-earls-by-mercedes-rochelle

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-sons-of-godwine
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-accursed-king
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-agincourt-king

Tags: history, biography, fiction, medieval, European, Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Denmark, Norway, France, Normandy, historical, biographical, Battle of Hastings

Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction.

61 Comments

Mercedes Rochelle link

4/18/2021 10:28:32 am

Thank you for reviewing Fatal Rivalry. You've always been most supportive!

Mark

4/18/2021 06:26:21 pm

You are welcome. I love to help authors anyway I can.
My review encapsulates how much I enjoyed reading your book.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Mercedes Rochelle

4/18/2021 08:50:48 pm

I live in rural New Jersey in a log home my husband and I had built ourselves. The older I get, the more I identify myself as an author. Covid has slowed life down for us as well as everyone else, and I spend most of my time writing and marketing myself. During the summer I spend a lot of time in my garden. Life is good but it's not terribly exciting!

4/19/2021 08:28:49 am

A log home. That is very cool. I dreamed of a log home in the early years of our marriage after I discovered Mother Earth News. I did a little organic gardening and companion planting.
Marketing can be a fulltime job all by itself, there are so many different venues to pursue even though Covid has shut down many of the public ones in the last year. A lot of people are more comfortable going out into public now that we understand the disease much better than before.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
If you are, how long have you been a full-time writer, and how much time did it take you to make the transition from part time?

mercedes Rochelle

4/19/2021 11:16:17 am

I'm not entirely sure how to define full-time writer. I don't sit writing for eight hours a day. Does it mean do I make a living at my writing? Hardly. Maybe after another 20 books or so. I sell Real Estate to make money, though this year things have dried up because of Covid. But my job means my schedule is flexible. Because I don't make a lot of money at my writing, I'm not inspired to become a slave to it. I try to write every day, but I go in spurts. As look as I keep the momentum going, I'm happy. Does this make me a part-time writer? My dear husband is my patron, so I am a very lucky gal.

4/19/2021 11:31:44 am

Every writer needs a wealthy patron. You are very lucky that you married yours.
This 14 months of Covid has been hard on everyone. So much of our normal and regular lives has been upset. I know many writers have been struggling to connect with their muse and the political and societal upheaval has made that even worse.
New questions.
How long have you been writing history and historical fiction?
What inspired you to write this series?

4/19/2021 12:04:34 pm

I've been writing historical fiction from day one, although at the time I didn't realize it was a genre. I owe that revelation to Sharon Penman, after I read The Sunne in Splendour back in the '80s. I suddenly realized that I had been a fan of the genre for years! I had been reading Dumas, Hugo, Sir Walter Scott and loving it, but I assumed it was a 19th century thing. Suddenly, I found my niche and stayed with it ever since.

My first book, HEIR TO A PROPHECY started out as a sequel to Macbeth, but it quickly took on a life of its own when I realized how exciting the history was before and after the Norman Conquest. I was particularly taken with the Godwines, and it was a short jump to my Last Great Saxon Earls series. It became very important for me to determine what went wrong between Harold and Tostig, for my sympathies tended toward the underdog.

4/19/2021 12:58:43 pm

Sometimes we don't realize we are in our niche at first. I was like that also, It took several years for me to realize how good I was at finding misspelled words.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
This next question might seem obvious, except that I sometimes miss something the author intended. What do the elements on the cover represent?

4/19/2021 01:53:25 pm

Ha! That makes me laugh. I'm sure you were a wiz in spelling bees!

The photo on the cover came from the 950th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Hastings in 2016. I traveled to England for the event and stood in the crowd taking videos (and getting bumped continually). This particular shot was almost an accident; I didn't even realize how significant it was until later. The banner was actually the Papal Gonfanon, awarded to William the Conquer by the pope himself for the "cause". It was a terrible blow to the English when it was unfolded, for it seemed that God favored the Normans. At the event they were handing out little flags to the crowd: the Papal banner or Harold's Fighting Man. I took Harold's banner!

4/19/2021 06:23:15 pm

Funny, I was never in a spelling bee. But nobody wants to play me in Scrabble.
Darn, I thought I could get you to admit to being a time traveler.
The re-enactment had to have been a lot of fun. What a cool trip to make. Getting Harold's banner is wonderful.
New questions.
You have published this set as e-books, audiobooks and paperbacks. Do you have plans for other formats perhaps a boxed set?
What other books and genres have you written?

4/19/2021 08:33:37 pm

I'm in a bit of a bind. Godwine Kingmaker, book one in the series, was originally published by a small press in England. With book two I went indie. Unfortunately, Godwine is just selling well enough that I can't get my rights back. So I have my hands tied! I was very fortunate that the publisher wasn't interested in audio, or that would have been an even bigger problem. As it is, I can't use book one as incentive to sell the rest of the series; in fact, it is priced much higher than the others and I can't do anything about it. It was a valuable lesson to learn!

I have not ventured into another genre nor do I foresee that happening. However, I did jump forward three hundred years to my next series, The Plantagenet Legacy. That took a me in a whole new direction, research-wise. I had to start all over again.

4/20/2021 08:08:34 am

Is it possible to rewrite GK and republish it? Do you have plans to continue the story of William the conqueror? Perhaps two volumes leading up to the Battle of Hastings era.
Your experience is a cautionary tale among many. Many authors have done a similar thing. I know one author who shopped her third book of a series around, one publisher started talking to her and wanted her to rewrite it so it was no longer part of the series. I am glad she declined. Her series is wonderful.
New questions.
What are the Amazon keywords you chose for your book?
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

4/20/2021 10:52:25 am

Interesting observation about rewriting the book. . I never thought of that. It sounds like it could cause more problems than solve them? Making it no longer part of the series seems to defeat the purpose of the whole thing. Not only that, but it would take a huge effort to pull myself back there. It's finished. I occasionally give thought to expanding the Canute story, but historical records are sparse enough that I'd have to make most of it up, which isn't my strength.

Frankly, I'm totally enamored with the 14th and 15th centuries right now. After I finish my current series (and we're talking a minimum of three more books) I'm seriously thinking about crossing the Channel and doing the same period about the French. There's so much going on with the royal family! OMG. The attraction of much background research having already been done is undeniable. The connection between the English and French in the 15th century is like Siamese twins.

The enormous effort to do the research on a particular period, if one writes the kind of books I write—historical "faction"—means that I had better be totally in love with the story. I literally read historical books on my period every single day. I absorb it; I eat, drink, and sleep it. Richard II is like a brother to me. I have to be very careful about what I choose to write about, because if I'm kind of indifferent to start, I'll never make it through to the end.

4/20/2021 11:24:18 am

Maybe the license the publisher has for the first book will expire at some point and you can get it back under your control. If you did a deluxe edition with pictures or more illustrations and deluxe binding could be another way around the license they have. That would be expensive of course, but another author did exactly that. Here is a copy-and-paste link: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/
Crossing the channel sounds like a great idea. You will stay busy for quite some time. Stick with what you love.
New questions.
Have you ever had the urge to try your hand at a different genre?
If you were going to launch into a different genre, which one interests you the most?

4/20/2021 12:37:16 pm

No, I have no interest in any other genres. But back to a previous question about keywords, that really bears paying attention to. And it's not terribly well understood. This is the opportunity to get found on Amazon, and it's very easy to get it wrong. Luckily, there's an app out there called Publisher Rocket, which has a one-time fee and is yours for life. I use it a lot. It lets you do a keyword search, a category search (another misunderstood Kindle feature), a competition analyzer, and a keyword search for Amazon ads.

Keywords are best thought of as a keyword string, for any combination of those words could get your book discovered. For instance, instead of just "Stamfordbridge", I used "Battle of Stamford Bridge Stamfordbridge". That way all uses of that phrase are searchable. Same with "Housecarls Fyrd Shield Wall". It's best not to use the obvious keywords like "Medieval England" or "Battle of Hastings" because you're going to end up on page 30 or something equally useless. The best way to test keywords is right-click on your Google Chrome icon and choose New Incognito Window. Then you can search Amazon without having your own search preferences skew the results.

4/20/2021 03:31:28 pm

That is a great explanation about keywords and search ability thank you. That is a bit of an arcane subject and is so very important for an author to understand. And I love the tip of using the incognito mode to be able to do the surgeon to see how the results work for you without messing up the Google ratings.
I get emails from Dave Chesson at kindlepreneur.com, he is a very smart guy and has been studying this stuff for a long time. I have no doubt that Publisher Rocket is well worth the investment.
New questions.
Have you entered in any contests with your books?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

4/20/2021 08:44:53 pm

Writing contests get pretty expensive so I stay away from them for the most part. I had noticed that indie authors were posting so many rewards that the significance started to get lost in the shuffle. Like anything else, they are starting to look like too much of a good thing. I wonder if it matters more to the authors than to the readers? I do favor the "Brag Medallion" award and have been honored with their inclusion in four of my books (including this one). And I have been very lucky to be included in the "Discover Diamonds" award by Helen Hollick. I haven't entered any others for a long time.

4/20/2021 09:30:25 pm

Congratulations on the BRAG awards. That is very nice.
You are right, contests can be expensive in more ways than one. Some contests are scams, either to empty the writer's wallet or to steal the Intellectual Property right of the author's hard work.
Anne R. Allen is one of my favorite bloggers, she brings so much good information out on her blog. She also lists safe contests under her blogs. Here is her blog about bogus contests, copy-and-paste time: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests/ via @annerallen More great blogs available on my "Highly Regarded Blogs" page on https://www.wordrefiner.com
New questions.
Every genre's fans have expectations about what they are going to want to read. Fans of cozy mysteries have a set of expectations that can differ greatly from the expectations of fans of hard-boiled murder mysteries.
What expectations do fans of your genre look for in a story that they want to read?

mercedes rochelle

4/20/2021 11:01:25 pm

Thanks for the heads-up about the Bogus writing contests. It's always good to keep up with that stuff.

Historical fiction is a funny thing. People always seem to be interested in historical accuracy, but no one wants the book to read like a History Book. Don't fill in too much background. Don't show off your knowledge. Don't do anything that doesn't forward the plot. That's a lot of don'ts, isn't it? I noticed that a lot of readers really want a story that plunges them into a historical period but not necessarily about a real person. Historical romances are most popular, I think. So I think the flavor of the period is more popular than the actual history. It IS fiction, after all. Trying to walk that line is a challenge. At the same time, fiction thrives on conflict and a HF story that doesn't have lots of tension and crises tends to be pretty flat.

4/21/2021 08:14:05 am

You are welcome. The longer the contract is for a contest the greater need for careful reading and maybe a lawyerly inspection.
You nailed the crux of the matter for every genre with your last sentence. Any fiction story will fall flat unless there is conflict followed by resolution. This is one of the big things that fiction must contain, the hero's struggle or the quest.
Historical romance is very popular, no question. The best ones have the conflict in one of several flavors and lots of period flavor.
Your books offer those features also. They are well written and very entertaining. Like every other author, the biggest challenge is getting them noticed by potential readers.
Writing another book with an emphasis on romance would be an interesting experiment. You do have some romance in your books, but it could be increased a little bit without hurting the story. You could even rewrite an existing book, then you could compare the sales better. That kind of book would not put me off in the least.
New questions.
I noticed that you didn’t put your book in Kindle Unlimited. Why is that?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

mercedes hayes

4/21/2021 11:44:23 am

I have to tell you a secret. I see romance books as formulaic, and they tend to bore me. Every romance has to have a conflict and resolution, yawn, and there are only so many ways to do that. I resist throwing in a romance just for the sake of it, though that seems to be what people expect. Some stories just don't have romance as a critical aspect.

Anyway, I had this book in Kindle Unlimited until just recently. I have decided to go "wide" with all my books (except for the first three months), which means I hope to find wider readership. This started with me because BookBub, which offers a huge opportunity with their "Featured Listing" blast email, rarely considers a book if it's listed exclusively with Amazon. Once I went wide with my Plantagenet books, I decided to do the rest of them... my Kindle Unlimited revenue has never been all that overwhelming. I hope to make up the difference with expanded distribution.

My first two books were published with a small hybrid press (I mentioned Godwine Kingmaker before), but the lack of control drove me crazy. They rarely allow a book to be put on sale. I did go through the agent submissions and got a wonderful response from a strong agent who represents the "big five" publishers. (Are they still the big five or are they now the big four?) He told me that he loves historical fiction, but that he considers these books "high hanging fruit" and just not worth the effort to market them. I can't really disagree, but I continue to send him my books in the unlikely hope that he'll someday change his mind. He keeps promising to read them! Anyway, considering my experience with a small press, I can't see going anywhere except the big time, and this avenue seems to be closed, at least for now.

4/21/2021 01:07:13 pm

I have to agree with you. Sometimes the conflict a romance story feels artificial or contrived. There is no denying that. Other times the conflict feels like an integral part of the story.
I am glad you have decided to go wide. Here is a very recent post about that very thing. Copy-and-Paste time: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2021/04/19/self-publish-wide/
I think there are only four big mainstream publishers left. I would not be surprised if that number shrinks again. The traditional publishing industry has been shrinking since shortly after Amazon began publishing e-books. Amazon has really turned the industry on its head!
Every agent is different. Having a good relationship with an agent is crucial. They don't like to take chances also, because they don't get paid until an author has a contract.
New questions.
Have you had contact with a vanity publisher or a company you thought might be trying to scam you?
You mentioned keeping control of your books, are there any other advantages for the independent author to self-publish?

4/21/2021 01:30:58 pm

That was an interesting link, thanks!
I thought I was going out on a limb when I first contacted my hybrid publisher (John Hunt Publishing). I actually read a long independent article about them which gave me enough hope to give it a try. The critical aspect for me was that they had levels of author's contribution, depending on the skill and expertise of the author. If the author was totally new in the market (I was) or if it looked liked their manuscript needed a lot of editing (mine didn't), they would ask the author for more of a contribution. I fell somewhere in the middle. By my second novel, they carried all the costs. By the time I was ready for the third, the first hadn't performed all that well so they brought me back to the middle level and I wasn't ready to throw any more money at it. So I decided to go off on my own. I wasn't sure who was responsible for the lack of sales—me or them (probably a little of both). Nonetheless, for a fraction of the cost, I was able to self-publish. The marketing was pretty much on my shoulders regardless.

I have to say, overall I found it to be a good experience. The ego boost was a welcome step. They took me through all the next steps: editing, making a book cover, some marketing. If I hadn't gone this route I think I would have been much more insecure about going indie. To this day, the paperback of Godwine Kingmaker is listed at $20.95 on Amazon, which seems totally out of line in the current market. I can't do a thing about it. I keep thinking about how many more I could sell if was priced in line with the rest of my books.

4/21/2021 03:19:46 pm

I am glad you enjoyed that blog/podcast. Joanna is another of my favorite bloggers and she consistently put out great information and has great guests.
Some people disparage hybrid publishers because they are right on the edge of vanity publishers and many consider them a scam in and of themselves. I do not agree, I see room for both in the market and they continue to exist. The scammers keep disappearing under one name and reappear under a different name, they are thieves without a doubt.
You are right about marketing also. It is always on the shoulders of the author whether published independently or traditionally.
Do the paperback copies of the other titles sell more than GK? That might be an argument to put to the publisher they would understand.
New questions.
Have you started your own imprint and are you buying your own ISBNs? Here is a good article about that idea: https://www.janefriedman.com/why-self-publishing-authors-should-consider-establishing-their-own-imprint
You have published several books on Amazon. Has the experience publishing your books with Amazon changed much since you started?
Why did you choose that platform among all of the others?

4/21/2021 04:16:31 pm

To answer your last question first, I went with Amazon because it was soooo easy to use. Everyone has a bit of a learning curve depending on where they start, technology-wise. I am pretty far along; I design my own covers, I understand the different formats, I know how to use MS Word (except for the page numbering... gets me every time!). So uploading a book through KDP was pretty easy for me, aside from the nudging and fussing over details. From book one the process has been pretty much the same. And yes, I heartily agree with buying your own ISBN numbers. Again, it's a matter of control. You don't know what you are going to do five years down the road, and when I decided to go wide I was grateful that I already had my ISBNs in place. As far as using my own imprint, it was only a matter of going to my local township and registering the name. A no-brainer! The money still goes to my social security number. And I think it looks better than Create Space or whatever Amazon is using these days.

4/21/2021 05:31:45 pm

I think almost every author starts with Amazon, unless that author is set against Amazon. The biggest seller of books is Amazon, the last I heard.
Buying your own ISBNs is necessary to go wide. Amazon's ASIN is only used by Amazon. I have no doubt that more than one author found out that nasty surprise at the last minute.
Your own imprint is a darn good idea and lends an air of credibility to every author that has one.
New questions.
Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy? What other marketing ideas do you use?
Did you use ads on Amazon or other platforms such as Facebook or Bookbub?

4/21/2021 05:50:43 pm

These days Twitter is my main social media strategy. I use Buffer to plan 10 posts ahead and separate them 10-15 minutes apart, depending on the time of day. I can't stand when people post a huge chunk like 20 at a time. Too much! After 10 posts or so I'll do one of my own (you know, Buy My Book!). It seems to work; I've been steadily increasing my following organically without getting in anybody's face. I used to use Facebook but got discouraged on learning that most of my posts don't get seen. What's the point?

I tried Amazon Ads for years but never seemed to break even. The competition is so fierce now that you have to invest a ridiculous amount of money even to be in the first row. I've tried BookBub ads but can't seem to hit the magic combination. I followed the guru David Gaughran's advice (he wrote a whole book about it) but my results were so inconsistent I gave that up too. There are so many ways to throw your money away! As of right now, I've hit a brick wall and can't find anything that works, except for a giveaway. That works great! Free is king. Sigh.

4/21/2021 07:08:15 pm

That is a good strategy for Twitter. I am a firm believer in spreading out posts. I schedule my posts also, I have 5 or 6 tweets that I send out every hour from 8 to 8. Each hour is different tweets or different pictures on the same tweets. I don't want to bore anyone.
Organic growth is the best. I decided about three years ago to thank each new follower that I was following back. There are plenty of followers I do not follow back.
I have heard lots of stories about how hard it is to recoup ad expense most of the time. Some are successful, most barely break even, if that.
New questions.
Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?
Do you subscribe to any author newsletters?

Mercedes

4/21/2021 07:30:52 pm

I keep reading about how important it is to have a mailing list, so I always do a drawing at my public events and of course a contact form on my web page. It is slow going, and every month or so I send something out—nothing formal, just whatever giveaway I'm offering at the moment and an excerpt from my blog (with a link). I haven't quite gotten to 300 yet, and my open rate is about 10%, so I have a long way to go! I do subscribe to a couple of authors for ideas, They are all flashier than I am! But I admit I don't particularly care what they are doing, and I feel that no one cares what I am doing either, unless I am announcing events. That will come in time, I trust.

4/22/2021 07:25:40 am

There are a couple of reasons to have a mailing list. First, for the author that wants to go wide, having an independent store to sell their books is important and reduces the dependence upon third-party sellers. Plus, the author keeps more of the profit if the author actually distributes the book also. Second, if the author had desires of being traditionally published, then a large mailing list is very important to many publishers. The publisher sees that list as a large number of guaranteed sales.
Then there is merchandising. You could offer products related to your books for sale on your website also.
There are many ways to grow a mailing list, blogs galore have been written on that topic.
New questions.
Which mailing service do you use for your newsletter? Is it the same one you started with or not? Why?
Do you have a reader magnet to get people to sign up for your newsletter?

4/22/2021 11:25:37 am

Well, everyone has their own methods of course. Selling one's own book is not a bad idea; I might try that. I guess because I am lukewarm on the receiving end of mailings, I assume everyone else is, too! I use PHP list to collect my names and manage the database. For $5.00 per month, you can't beat the price! It's a little on the primitive (basic) side and not terribly easy to customize, but it does the job. I just don't see myself making a big push with the mailing list, probably because of lack of interest on my part. You can't do everything!

4/22/2021 04:29:07 pm

Quite true. Everyone works it the best they can. Every choice has a consequence. No one can do it all.
That is a good price on the mailing list. What is the URL for that company? Someone else might be looking for that also. As long as it works for you that is what counts.
New questions.
How do you operate the giveaways? What do your fans have to do to have an above average chance of winning?
What kind of marketing are you doing or planning on doing for your books?

Mercedes rochelle

4/22/2021 05:50:00 pm

That's easy.. https://www.phplist.com/

I used to use Goodreads for my giveaways before they starting charging a fee. Unfortunately, I found them to be unrewarding. I gave away a lot of books and received no reviews, so I didn't think it was worth the investment. My last couple giveaways have been with KDP Select using my Kindle Unlimited feature. There's a site out there called FreeBooksy: https://www.freebooksy.com/ In the historical fiction category they charged $60 for a one-day placement in their blast email. They only blast one book in the category and you really get a lot of mileage: Heir To A Prophecy generated about 1200 giveaways with just that one ad. Not bad! I considered making that book (my first) a permafree, but I think the giveaway is a better use of my resources in the long run.

I don't have a long-term marketing plan because my funds are limited. I tend to market on impulse!

4/22/2021 06:51:24 pm

Thank you for those links. I am sure it will help another author or two. That is a lot of books going out. I hope you got a bunch of reviews. Marketing is the hardest nut for authors to crack. There is no one right way, there are around a hundred because there are so many different kinds of marketing that can be done.
Covid put a real dent in face-to-face meetings such as bookstore signings and other meet-the-author type of events. There are a couple of guest blogs and many links on the Highly Regarded Blogs page dealing with marketing.
New questions.
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

4/22/2021 10:43:26 pm

I'll take a look at Highly Regarded Blogs. Didn't know about that, thanks.
Gosh, I don't know how to answer your question! Do you know why? I usually don't read books by the major publishers! Frankly, they tend to be too contemporary for me; I think my style might be a bit antiquated in comparison. Of course, there are a few major exceptions that I stumble across by accident. We don't have any bookstores in my neighborhood, sadly, so I don't browse the shelves. I'd like to think my books are as good as some of them, but I don't deceive myself that I write for a niche market.

Sorry to say I don't know enough to answer your next question.

4/23/2021 08:11:31 am

I have tried to curate all of the major topics writers might be interested in. Let me know if there is a topic I should keep my eyes open for.
While I read mostly indie authors also, I have read a few major traditionally published books and I found errors in those also.
Since you are writing in a niche market, historical fiction, I think your books measure up quite well. They are most definitely entertaining.
There are a lot of scams out there the indie author must be aware of. The scammers are evolving all the time. The latest scam I have heard of is that the scammers are masquerading as an employee of a major publisher or an agent who works with a major publisher. I believe every author should subscribe to the newsletter called Writer Beware put out by Victoria Strauss.
New questions.
You already have e-books, paperbacks and audiobooks of many of your books. Congratulations. Have you thought about offering a large-print edition of your books through POD, Print On Demand?
Have you thought about trying to get your book into libraries? Here is a copy-and-paste link with more information: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/06/12/book-marketing-how-to-get-your-book-into-libraries

4/23/2021 02:14:57 pm

Yesterday I just learned about a new scam directed at audiobook Narrators. I was shocked! Apparently scammers record narrators' voices and through AI rework them to publish books written by bots. It got a lot of mileage when Audible was paying dividends for Free Promo Codes. Not so much anymore.

Through Kobo and Draft2Digital you can get your books into libraries—another advantage of going wide. I don't know the statistics about large-print books. Since you can increase the point size in Kindle, is there a big market for it?

4/23/2021 03:07:03 pm

Stealing not just money from the narrators but their voice also. It's always something. Using AI to narrate a book is pretty new and getting better all the time. Joanna Penn has written more than one blog about that. She suggested that at some point, an author could rent a voice, celebrity or not, to narrate their book. The Bitcoin technology would ensure that all players got a fractional share of the book sale. I am sure that same technology will be able to tell if an AI narrated book is a scam or not, eventually. It's not widespread enough as yet.
I do not know the market demand for large-print books. Maybe the POD companies have that as an option for the consumer. I do know that in print those books are larger than a regular paperback book.
New questions.
For reading fun or pleasure, what is your favorite genre?
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?

4/23/2021 05:57:42 pm

Even in my pleasure reading I stick to historical fiction. There's so much to learn! When I am on the treadmill I love to read Matthew Harffy and Steven McKay; I love it when I forget I'm exercising. There are too many favorites to list, but I often go back to my 19th century authors. While I am gardening and taking a walk I listen to audio books. Right now I am listening to The Three Musketeers!

4/23/2021 07:09:40 pm

You are pretty much completely immersed in historical fiction. That explains a lot why your book feels so organic when I read it.
I have tried listening to audio books, but I find I lose my place in the book because it fades into the background for me. I found if I speed up the playback it challenges me to listen and I enjoy the story quite a bit.
New questions.
Did you have a favorite book as a child?
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

4/23/2021 07:33:57 pm

I was a big reader of the Little House on the Prairie series (though I didn't like the TV show!) and I adored Albert Payson Terhune, who wrote Lad a Dog and that whole series about his collies. I didn't know where New Jersey was (home of his famous Sunnybank farm); ironically, I live there now and I still don't know where the farm is! I also loved Walter Farley and his black stallion series. Animal stories, anyone! The day I read Black Beauty, I told my mother I wanted to be a writer and she pooh-poohed me. I laugh to think of it now. She certainly wasn't much help!

My favorite (of my own books) is Fatal Rivalry! By the time I got to it I had such a love affair with the Godwinesons I never wanted their story to end. I was really attached to Tostig, and I hope I gave his point of view a good airing. Someone has to champion him! I suspect, if he had to do it all over again, he might have done things differently. Who knows! I still miss writing about them, but I said all I wanted to say.

Now that I'm in the 14/15th centuries, I'm enjoying all the knights in shining armor and all that. This is the height of the chivalric period and it really is glorious.

4/24/2021 08:55:16 am

The first book I read about an animal was Jack London's Call of the Wild. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I also read white fang and felt a little let down. I don't recall reading another animal book for a long time.
I think Tostig got a fair hearing in FR. Bitterness is a poisonous root that can infect your entire life. It can even cause a brother to take up arms against his sibling.
The late Middle Ages was an exciting time. No doubt about that.
My best friend, in the 80s and 90s was a blacksmith and setup a forge in the local Society for Creative Anachronisms summer reenactment event. He loaned me a book that I took a 13th-century design from to make a knight's helm. I altered it a bit for visual appeal. Here is my early blog where I showed my helmet: https://www.wordrefiner.com/blog-words-for-thought/he-proved-his-mettle-and-gets-a-medal-made-of-metal-dont-meddle
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired at the end of a good writing session?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

mercedes

4/24/2021 01:39:10 pm

Barrel helm! Did you join the group? I was active then!

I think I have an ambiguous relationship with writing. As I once heard quoted (don't remember who), I don't particularly enjoy writing but I love haven written! That perfectly describes me, for the most part. Unless I'm feeling inspired (rarely), writing is a struggle for me. Once I have the words down, it seems like a snap. What's the big deal? Ha!

In my writing career, I took a 20-year hiatus after having had a bad experience with an agent who let me down. I'm sure it was a matter of having a thin skin, but at the time I was so discouraged I put everything on the closet shelf and bade my writing goodby. Then I went into business for myself, so I tried to funnel my creative tendencies that way. Guess what: it didn't work. I felt pretty unhappy with myself. Something was missing. When my business came to an end (CD-ROM sales), after much deliberation I took up the writing again. My, how things had changed!!!

As for tapping into the character's emotions, I'm not entirely sure that's important in all cases. When writing in third person—especially third person omniscient—there can be a distance between the character and the author that I think has possibilities. For instance, if writing about Hitler, or Stalin, do we really want to guess what is going on inside their brain? For some reason, I feel like a famous person is unapproachable—like his brain is off-limits. Also, sometimes not tapping into his emotions can leave a bit of mystery for the reader. Maybe figuring him out is part of the interest. With first person, it's a no-brainer. You are that person. Thinking along with him—including sarcasm—gives plenty of depth,

4/24/2021 01:55:17 pm

I did not join the group. Not enough time.
That quote fits a lot of writers, I think. Writing seems nearly effortless for some and others it is a near-death experience at times. Not being a writer I have no idea why. That might be a good blog to write.
That was a long break from doing what you love. I can appreciate it was so hard to do.
Famous people, especially the bad ones, would be very hard to do, I think. That author would be open to all kinds of abuse from multiple angles because there would likely be a lot of people who don't agree with that author's interpretation of one aspect or another. It seems very wise to me to avoid that kind of situation.
New questions.
How does a writer ensure the reader will connect with the characters?
Has your life turned out differently than expected or planned?

4/24/2021 05:23:33 pm

Connecting with the characters is such a challenge! It seems easiest to do it in first person, because you are standing in that character's shoes. But of course not all stories can be written in first person. If a lot of the action happens outside of the character's experience, third person omniscient is usually demanded (a different kind of challenge). Third person limited is the biggest challenge to me. Yes, you can kind of say what that person feels. Action outside of the character's knowledge has to be depicted somehow. How does one connect in third person? Give the character a lot of behavioral quirks, I suppose. Let that person demonstrate care, consideration, love, is always a good thing. Give that person loyalty and honor. People want to relate to that. Otherwise, it's a great risk to the author. Writing about a character who is a jerk (like Richard II) comes with penalties! (and lower ratings).

My life? Funny, I did what I wanted to do. (Except I never became a famous author.) I moved from St. Louis to New York when I was 26, and although I was homesick for my friends, I never regretted it. After such a big adventure, everything else went on its own course. Moving to rural New Jersey wasn't in the cards, but here I am and happy for it.

4/24/2021 08:43:29 pm

Good description of ways to help a reader connect with a character. Writing in different POVs has different challenges with each one. One of the more interesting quirks is the unreliable narrator. Readers normally expect the narrator to be honest or truthful. But judging by the title that is not always the case. I think that would be very useful for any kind of a mystery story, perhaps a cozy murder. What do you think, am I on the right track?
Does being famous to your fans count? There are people who love your writing.
I grew up on farms and knew by the age of 14 I did not want to be a farmer. Over a decade later, I was gardening organically and doing a lot of companion planting. I loved that small garden in the back yard. Now, I don't even want to mow a lawn.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?
What type of material is that most often, action, description or dialogue?

4/24/2021 09:00:45 pm

Interesting about the unreliable narrator. In Fatal Rivalry, I hope I came across that way with Tostig. He certainly had blinders on at times, and didn't realize nobody agreed with his "take" on things. Same with Harold. He didn't have a whole lot of empathy, and was puzzled at times when his wife felt sorry for his less fortunate siblings.

I am definitely an under-writer as you term it. Not deliberately: My first draft is totally concerned with getting the "facts" down, which is hard enough. I do throw a lot of dialog into the first draft because this helps explain things. During this phase, I spend a lot of time consulting my books and trying to piece things together; I often must sort through contradictory evidence concerning important scenes. Many times, I don't make a decision until I'm actually typing it out! I don't want to do this twice, so once I've developed a scene, I'm happy to move on to the next crisis. It's not until my second and third drafts that I flesh out the story and give it more texture. I rarely cut things out. When I finish my first draft, I'm usually about 80% of the way there.

I love dialog. I find it most useful in filling in the background; someone can explain the situation to another less brilliant, or less well-informed. I also think this is the best way to create tension. Description is the most difficult, because everyone expects us to "show, don't tell". Sometimes, this is just impossible, especially when I want to get on with the story! On the other hand, description can add color and dimension to a scene, though I have to force myself to do it.

4/25/2021 08:16:27 am

Good point that both brothers lacked perspective. They represent a lot of us. We 'know' we are right most of the time because we think that there are a lot of people who think like we do. Harold and Tostig were concerned about their wealth and doing as little as necessary to hang on to it. They were more concerned about appearances much of the time.
Given your genre, that method of writing seems very logical. I would follow a similar path if I was a writer.
Good advice is only good in moderation. I don't think it's possible to 'show don't tell' all the time. Description has its rightful place in a story. Dialogue is a good vehicle for carrying that function. Stephen King's dictum to eliminate all adverbs puts writers through ridiculous contortions at times when followed to the nth degree. Adverbs are necessary sometimes.
New questions.
Do you prefer dialogue tags or action beats in your books?
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories? How do you give them depth?

4/25/2021 11:27:47 am

I try to avoid dialogue tags, relying on giving the speaker action instead, so the reader knows who is speaking (I wish they smoked cigarettes in the middle ages. That is the best!) I don't even get pipes! The occasion "he said" "she said" is good to break things up. It's so hard to resist being redundant! How many drinks can a character take? (although we do drink a lot, anyway, don't we?)

Characterization is the hardest for me. Whenever possible, I rely on their "action beats" to give traits away. Shifty eyes, that sort of thing. Or I have them thinking about what was just said. I think it's really important that a character NOT be all bad or all good. Nobody is. I like to give each person traits contrary to how they want to appear to the world. Harold Godwineson was not perfect, though people seem to put him on a pedestal. I think he acted selfishly at times...just ask his brothers!

4/25/2021 11:54:39 am

I agree with you about dialogue tags. Action beats give yet one more opportunity to show don't tell. Many authors use ABs to great effect. Personally, I prefer action beats, they lend more color and texture to a story. The common dialogue tags, he said-she said disappear into the background for me. They don't really register for me. What does register is when aa writer starts to use other words in place of the stodgy he said-she said, those replacements can get pretty extreme and silly at times.
WHAT? Not everyone is all one way? People are a mixed bag of characteristics? Yes, indeed, real people are exactly that, regardless of what period of time or location they live in. We are now and they were then. A good writer has to be a good observer of people and the human condition that we are all subject to.
You do a good job of fleshing out your characters, they are anything but cardboard cutouts. They are quite real.
New questions.
Villain, antagonist, every story and hero needs a villain. Who is the main villain in this book?
Who is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?

4/25/2021 12:04:27 pm

I do love a good villain. Of course, not every story has one. My main purpose in writing this book was to redeem poor Tostig, who is everyone's favorite traitor. That may have been impossible: he did some unforgiveable things, to say the least. But he did have his reasons, and from his point of view, they were understandable.

I think I have much more fun working out the conflict rather than focusing on either the protagonist or the antagonist. Acting on my conviction that no one is all bad or all good, I find it easier to play characters against each other. People sometimes act irrationally; sometimes they change their minds; sometimes they are overcome with guilt—or anger. The nuances are what stimulate my writing juices.

4/25/2021 03:10:53 pm

The villains are very juicy! I have heard of famous actors who vie to play the antagonist rather than the protagonist for that very reason.
Poor Tostig! A couple of bad breaks and the whole world seems to turn against you.
You handle the nuances so well, and that makes for great reading. I wish more authors would allow for those nuances.
New questions.
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

4/25/2021 03:55:37 pm

I'm cursed with a short attention span. I'm up and down, up and down while I write (perhaps the next thought is percolating). I work well in spurts, so I need to give myself a good stretch of time to fit in a good session.

I absolutely write in a straight line. Because my story is based on history, I already know the major events. I can skip over minor stuff when I am stuck and come back to it in the next draft, but the major events must be thoroughly hashed out before I move on. I surround myself with books and go from one to the other until I have the narrative in my head; sometimes this takes several sessions. The hardest part is figuring out how (and sometimes why) a character does something. The history books rarely tell us that. And once I've fully conceptualized an event, I'm done with it. I don't really like to go backwards unless I find a new nugget in my continuing research. When I start the second draft, then I can start fleshing out the details... connecting the dots, I like to say.

4/25/2021 08:17:33 pm

So many authors struggle with the events and timeline of their book. You have it much easier in that regard, so writing in a straight line makes a lot of sense. However, the other fiction writers get to choose their characters, attitudes and interactions. You are somewhat hampered in that respect.
New questions.
Did your writing process change much from your early writing to your current book or did it stay the same?
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?

4/25/2021 09:01:46 pm

In my early days, with the help of a generous boyfriend, I tried writing full time. It was terrible! I felt like I was in prison, and because I wasn't bringing in any income I didn't want to spend any money. I got a dog to break up the day (lots of frisbee throwing) but that didn't help. So now, I work my writing into my day in a way that doesn't feel forced. That's one advantage of being an indie: no deadlines. Also, I've learned to write standing up so I set myself up a second "work station" with my laptop. It stretches my legs and seems to help my mental process; the moving around keeps me stimulated.

Although flow is important, I think that pace is a make-it-or-break-it proposition. If the pace is slow, you stand the chance of losing the reader. Everyone loves a page-turner. And sometimes, you just have to jump forward to avoid the boring stuff. At the same time, I think it takes a very skilled writer to break up the flow and hold the reader's attention. I know that if a book takes too much of a departure from one chapter to the next, I tend to get frustrated. If it happens too many times I'll put the book aside. Sometimes it works with parallel plot lines, but again that can be very tricky. If each chapter ends with a cliff hanger, I really hate that! By the time we get back to the crisis, I've lost the edge of interest.

4/26/2021 07:25:45 am

Trying to write while feeling trapped must have been hard. A certain way of smothering the muse. I love dogs myself. There is a big difference between dogs and cats, dogs think you are god and cats think you are staff.
I have tried a standing desk and can tolerate it for a few minutes. After that I get very fidgety and move around too much. While sitting at my desk one leg or the other is bouncing almost continuously.
Flow and pace are both important. The lack of either can be a problem for the reader. You do make a good point about pace. The skilled writer knows what to leave out of a story. Many new writers get caught up in their own prose and indulge in much unnecessary description, thus putting the breaks on the pace and bringing the story to a standstill.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?
What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?

4/26/2021 11:01:50 am

I'm happy to say I would leave Fatal Rivalry as it is. I was especially moved when hearing it on audiobook! Aside from the human (sibling) interaction, which is universal, I don't see it relating to today. It's just too far into the past. And of course that was never my intention anyway. I hope the reader comes to a better understanding of how stresses and perceived wrongs can blow out of proportion, and turn a man into a villain—at least to history.

4/26/2021 11:58:09 am

Family relationships require more care than others. There is no doubt about that. My little brother is 10 years behind me. I moved out of the house when I was seventeen, after high school graduation. We never connected because of all the teen angst and activities I was going through. We are at best casual acquaintances.
Last questions.
What else are you writing these days?
Are there any authors that influenced you to become a writer?

4/26/2021 12:36:05 pm

I am just starting my fourth book in THE PLANTAGENT LEGACY. Book three, The Usurper King which was just published this month, is about Henry IV and the troublesome first three years of his reign. He dealt with three major rebellions! My current book continues his reign, where he faces yet another rebellion and condemns the Archbishop of York to death. This is quite a scandal, and contributes to his devastating illness which strikes him the very night of the execution. He is truly The Accursed King.

Aside from my beloved19th century authors I mentioned earlier, Arthur Conan Doyle has stuck with me the most. Did you know he wrote historical fiction? His books "Sir Nigel" and "The White Company" are, in my opinion, some of the best novels about the hundred years' war I've ever read. He also wrote "The Adventures of Gerard" about a hussar in Napoleon's army; these are amusing and really transport you to the period. I love his style. Modern authors such as Sharon Kay Penman and Colleen McCullough (The First Man in Rome) were strong influences on me.

Last but not least, I owe much of my inspiration to Shakespeare, without whom I may never have gotten started.

4/26/2021 01:13:43 pm

I didn't know that about ACD. When I hit a lull in my reading I might look up his other books. I was introduced to his stories about Sherlock Holmes when I was a pre-teen. I loved the stories! I watched a lot of the early B&W movies with Nigel Rathbone starring as SH also. I have no doubt I would enjoy the other books also.
I think a lot of writers owe Wild Willie a debt of gratitude for so many different reasons. My first real exposure to his works was in a high school literature class. We read and acted out a couple of famous scenes. Another time we had to write a few lines in the style of a sonnet, as I recall. That was tough.
I want to thank you for being a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel. I have enjoyed our time a great deal. I have another promotion that starts tomorrow so I must bring this to a close for now. Until next time, keep on writing.

4/26/2021 01:45:07 pm

Thanks once again for hosting me, Mark! It was a lot of fun and I always enjoy chatting with you. Happy reading!

Fatal Rivalry: Part Three of The Last Great Saxon Earls by Mercedes Rochelle

Leave a Reply.

Who am I?

Archives

Categories